Internal links should stay in the same tab. Opening them in new tabs (_blank) disrupts normal web navigation and annoys users who expect the back button to work. It also creates tab sprawl, especially on mobile where managing multiple tabs is clunky. From an SEO perspective, there's zero advantage. Google doesn't reward new-tab links, and your goal with internal linking is to distribute PageRank and keep users engaged on your domain. Same-tab navigation achieves both. Users who want a new tab will middle-click or right-click themselves. The only exception is when an internal link serves a utility function while someone's mid-task. For example, if a user is filling out a multi-step form and you link to your privacy policy or terms, opening that reference document in a new tab prevents them from losing form progress. Similarly, if you embed a calculator or tool within a blog post and link to a standalone version, new tab makes sense. These are edge cases, not the rule. We see agencies and in-house teams make this mistake constantly, usually because someone decided "more tabs = more engagement." It doesn't. Analytics might show longer session duration, but that's artificial. Users aren't reading five articles simultaneously, they're just forgetting to close tabs. At Ottawa SEO, our internal linking strategy focuses on contextual relevance and anchor text optimization, not tab behavior. We map content hierarchies so pillar pages distribute authority to cluster posts through same-tab links. This creates clear user journeys and reinforces topical relationships for Google. One practical test: browse your own site. If clicking three internal links opens three tabs, then clicking three more opens six total, you've just created a mess. Users close the whole window and leave. Reserve _blank for external links where you genuinely want users to keep your page open as a reference point, but even then, use it sparingly. Your internal site architecture should guide people through a logical flow, not scatter them across browser tabs.